Published: IIPM:
During his three day tour, Chávez visited several Russian weapons factories. The two countries discussed military technical cooperation that helps Venezuela build advanced technologies and help it obviate the need to depend on Washington for military assistance. Venezuela has already purchased over 50 helicopters, 24 Su-30MK2 warplanes, as well as 100,000 Russian AK-103 assault rifles. Russian submarines are certainly on the agenda of Chávez. “Most likely, Chávez will buy five Project 636 submarines with missile systems, but it could end up buying nine,” said Ivan Konovalov, noted Strategic expert from The Centre for the Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, while talking to B&E. He adds further, “… the submarine deal could be split into two or three parts, and include construction of submarine bases and training of submarine crews and, in future, might also include the purchase of advanced Tor-M1 air defence systems.”
Clearly Chávez seems to be on a shopping spree, building military infrastructure free of any ‘imperialist’ pressures. Only time will tell if Chávez is successful in altering the uni-polarity of the world and the hegemony of the United States of America.
